This invention relates to engine heating systems, and more particularly to a propane gas operated auxiliary heating system and heater apparatus.
There have been numerous attempts to develop an auxiliary engine heating system and heater apparatus as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,627,258; 2,681,052; 2,737,169; 3,131,864; 3,277,886; 3,304,004; 3,400,700; 3,861,590; 4,051,825; 4,268,248; 4,289,095; 4,305,354; 4,348,992; 4,381,742; and 4,392,609.
The present invention comprises a relatively small size low weight highly efficient continuously operable heater apparatus operated by propane gas and connected to an engine cooling system by hoses and quick-disconnect coupling means. The heating system heats a fluid by use of a supply gas which comprises the following elements: (1) an elongated heater tube means having a central longitudinal axis mounted in a horizontal attitude including concentrically mounted horizontally extending outer tube means and inner tube means divided by central plate means and closed by end plate means for providing a pair of oppositely disposed combustion chambers and an outermost fluid chamber surrounding the combustion chambers; (2) an elongated stack tube means having a central longitudinal axis centrally mounted on said elongated heater tube means in a vertical attitude including concentrically mounted vertically extending outer tube means connected to the horizontally extending outer tube means and vertically extending inner tube means connected to said horizontally extending inner tube means with an end plate means mounted therebetween for providing a vertically extending fluid chamber connected to the horizontally extending fluid chamber in circumjacent relationship to a vertically extending exhaust chamber connected to each of the pair of oppositely disposed combustion chambers; (3) an exhaust cap means mounted on the upper end of the elongated tubular stack means for providing an enlarged exhaust chamber opposite the vertically extending exhaust chamber and having exhaust outlet port means therein for discharging exhaust gas and air inlet port means for entrance of air to the enlarged exhaust chamber; (4) a pair of oppositely disposed gas burner means mounted on opposite ends of the elongated tubular heater means for simultaneously supplying a combustible air-gas mixture to and simultaneously burning a combustible air-gas mixture in each of the oppositely disposed combustion chambers; (5) low temperature fluid inlet means for connecting the outermost horizontally extending fluid chamber means to a relatively low temperature body of fluid in a fluid storage means and for continuously supplying and filling said outermost horizontally and vertically extending fluid chamber means with fluid during operation of the heating system; and ( 6) high temperature fluid outlet means for connecting said vertically extending fluid chamber means to the fluid storage means and creating a flow of fluid into the horizontal fluid chamber means and laterally around each of the oppositely disposed combustion chambers and then upwardly through the vertically extending fluid chamber means whereby the fluid is first heated in the horizontal fluid chamber means and subsequently further heated in the vertical fluid chamber means.